In some ways, such as basic education, licensing, certification and technical skills, neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons are similar. In others, such as demand for the specialty, subspecialty opportunities, numbers of physicians and income, they are very different. Your career choice should be dictated by your personal preferences, skills and abilities.

The Surgeons' Work

Both neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons deal with the human nervous system, but for neurosurgeons, that is their exclusive focus. An orthopedic surgeon, or orthopod, must consider the nerves in the context of the entire musculoskeletal system as well as the nerves themselves. Crossover occurs between the specialties in the operating room. Neurosurgeons may perform surgeries that include bone grafts, such as spinal fusions, and orthopods may perform surgeries such as nerve repair in an arm or leg. Orthopods do not operate inside the skull or on the brain itself as neurosurgeons do, however. About half of an orthopod’s work is actually non-surgical management, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and neurosurgeons also use non-surgical management in some situations.

Education

All physicians complete rigorous training, which lasts a minimum of 12 years -- four years each of college and medical school, followed by four years of residency. Physicians must also be licensed in all states. Neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons follow the same educational path to the point of residency. A neurosurgeon then completes a year in general surgery before moving into the neurosurgery portion of his residency. Some neurosurgeons also complete a general surgery residency of one to two years, but in other programs, they go straight into neurosurgery. Neurosurgery residency lasts five to seven years and orthopedic residency lasts at least five years. Many surgeons in these specialties also go on for extended training in fellowship programs.

Subspecialties and Certification

Although neurosurgeons and/or orthopods might confine their practice to children, neurosurgery does not have any subspecialties, according to the American Board of Medical Specialties, or ABMS. Two recognized orthopedic subspecialties, however, are surgeries of the hand or orthopedic sports medicine. Most neurosurgeons and orthopods become board-certified, although the certifications are granted by different organizations. Certifications may be available in orthopedic subspecialties as well as the primary specialty, according to the ABMS.

Demographics and Demand

The American College of Surgeons Health Policy Research Institute, or ACSHPRI, reported 4,285 neurosurgeons and 19,769 orthopods in the U.S. in 2010. Although many more of the surgeons in the U.S. are orthopods than neurosurgeons, the orthopedic surgeon is still in higher demand than the neurosurgeon. Nationwide physician recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins reported orthopedic surgery was among its top 20 of the most-requested medical specialties in 2011. Surgery is still a male-dominated profession in many specialties. Of the two specialties, neurosurgery has a higher percentage of women -- 6.5 percent compared to orthopedics’ 4.4 percent.

Income

Income is another way in which neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery differ. Becker’s Hospital Review found neurosurgeons earned an average of $767,627 in 2010. Those who specialized in pediatric neurosurgery earned $643,188. Merritt Hawkins reported the average annual salary offer for orthopedic surgeons in 2011 was $521,000. Cejka Search, another nationwide physician recruiting firm, reported median salaries of $551,729 for orthopedic surgeons and $656,250 for neurosurgeons. Cejka also reported data for orthopedic sub-specialties. Surgeons who specialized in hands earned $507,750, those who specialized in pediatrics earned $509,030 and those who specialized in joint replacements earned$ 529,990. Orthopedic surgeons who specialized in spinal surgery, however, earned $710,556.

About the Author

Beth Greenwood is an RN and has been a writer since 2010. She specializes in medical and health topics, as well as career articles about health care professions. Greenwood holds an Associate of Science in nursing from Shasta College.